Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday met with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss U.S. assistance for Ukraine, the presidential press service said.

 

During the talks in Kiev, the parties talked about U.S. financial, economic and military aid for Ukraine, in particular, the security assistance of 675 million U.S. dollars announced by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier in the day.

 

Zelensky thanked the U.S. government for the recent decision to provide Ukraine with 6 billion dollars in grant aid, which includes 3 billion dollars in security assistance and 3 billion dollars in financial support earmarked through the World Bank.

 

Speaking about military assistance from the United States, Zelensky said that American weapons, especially the HIMARS multiple-launch rocket systems, have strengthened Ukraine's positions in the conflict with Russia.

 

Zelensky and Blinken also discussed the prospects of increasing defense support for Ukraine and the launch of the Lend-Lease program.

 

Blinken arrived in Kiev earlier in the day for his second visit since the start of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in February this year.